❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

[natha]

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready? THE DESCENT     All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding. The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid. There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten— Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge. A FROZEN LAND     The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature. Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril. The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast. A WARM(?) WELCOME     I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time. II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel. Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay. III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth. Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs. IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees. People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them. RECREATION IN NADRIL     I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed). Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst. For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own! II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools. All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free! And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor? B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver. Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself? THE MISSION     I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from. Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past. I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish. She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face. I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance. But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash? Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal. II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station. What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries. Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner. As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate... FINAL OOC NOTES     An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST. As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration! Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[antleredcrown]

"I might dare. But you'd tie me down and shave me by force, and that would be a dreadful experience. So I shan't." He catches Loras's chin to hold him still for a proper kiss, nuzzling at his cheek.

"What would I do without you here, hm? Fall to pieces, surely."

[expiable]

[ Man, no one ever understands her references except Barton. Kids these days. He keeps up the daring attitude, though, which earns him points.

A little laugh. ]

Before your time, but you'd like it. [ Eh, most people do, and JJ seems... like a certain type of guy. Maybe someone brought their movie library over on a laptop and will share. ]

[ After a moment, she skates closer, holding out a hand. Now this will remind Natasha of her dancing days. ] Let's see what you've got, kid.

wreckage

[gravemistake]

[For someone who likes to make undetected approaches, that tricorder really is a nuisance. He's not sure what it is or that he's been detected by it, but someone calling out to him means that he's been spotted, and wasn't necessarily making as subtle as an approach as he'd prefer. Reyes, however, takes it in stride--he should be expecting interruptions, given the fact that he's not the only refugee taking an interest in the second crashed ship.]

Noted.

[The response is more to more fully alert her to his presence than anything, as Gabriel seems largely unconcerned by the less-than-stellar state of things, though he does tread carefully as he closes the distance between them, navigating his way around a fallen cross-beam on his way.]

Surprised this wreck has lasted so long.

[summertimeblues]

Right, right. [They are in public after all, and making a downright spectacle of themselves. Richie glances to the side and sees a trio of young girls hurriedly looking away, tapping on their phones. He gives another sour laugh.] Can't take a shit around here without nine people knowing what color.

[He thrusts his hands into his pockets and starts towards a nearby tavern. Gonna need some good liquor to battle this one out. And if he can't get the good, he'll take the strong.

Once they're settled inside and there's a pint poured for each, the pair drop down at dim table in the corner, taking refuge under the din of the reveling regulars. Richie takes a long gulp of his slop before speaking.]

Kee-rist, that's pure motor oil if I ever licked the underside of a Chevy. My tongue's gonna be dead meat by the time we get back to civilization.

[Yet he drinks down another gulp. Slower this time, and looking off to the side. The picture's still in his pocket, eating a hole through the side of his coat and into the meat of his brain. He'll need somewhere private to dispose of it, and he'll do it soon. Just not here.]

All right. So even if I was to keep it sweet and simple, I have to start with Bill and Georgie Denbrough. Bill was my best bud as a kid. 1958, we were about ten? Ten years old for sure. And his little brother George was a pipsqueak still, just six or so and pocket-sized. Cute lil' bugger.

That fall, they found George dead by a sewer drain. His arm had been torn off, and he'd died of either shock or exsanguination not too long after. No one saw what happened, even though it was in the middle of the damn street.

[poolhall_killer]

Oh? I've recently delved into healing magic, so I feel I have much to learn about it.

[He takes a seat on his own bed, finishing off the rest of his sad, tepid tea.]

They probably do manipulate ice or fire magic in order to keep these rooms the proper temperature. Or they employ the use of multiple clothing and blanket layers.

[expiable]

[ It's slowgoing here in this quirky meeting, but Nat will take it. Rather than dismiss her, the girl makes an effort to connect, and that's enough, honestly. ]

Ouch. [ Robots these days. Her smile widens, easy and warm ] For the record, I think you look nice.

[ Not that Natasha knows what girls Futaba's age wear anymore, really. ]

[poolhall_killer]

"That's exactly what her handler told me, too. Lions act very much like housecats in a way, that they choose their owner in a unique fashion."

When asked about riding, Venom looks away. "I'm still learning and I don't wish to push her. If you can offer any advice, I'd appreciate it." As he knows Rein can ride horses, at least. Maybe it's similar to riding a lion?

[ukase]

"Touchy... I see the feelings still run hot for the guy," he replied smoothly, raising his eyebrow. "Which means you better hope he never shows up and asks stuff of you. I feel like you aren't over him enough to not give in immediately."

He nodded his head, lifting his hand to order another drink for Venom. "Only if you believe you are."

[ukase]

All the history books I didn't read say you're tiny, though I suppose for your original rule you were average size for a Greek man.

[He supposed he could see Macedonian if he bothered to. Don't blame him the history books decided to make the guy tiny and dark-haired.]

...so are you here to wage another campaign to unite under one rule?

c

[sheriffing]

[ Emma's noticed the little bots charging at people, and by now she's not surprised by the pictures that fall at her feet. what catches her off guard (this time) is Riku standing a distance away and responding to the surprise with a barrier that comes and goes as soon as he registers what these harmless creatures are up to.

she smirks from a distance, stepping closer with enough warning so that he doesn't feel the need to protect himself again. not all of the surprises here are bad ones, just - honestly, most of them.] Remind me never to catch you by surprise.

[pebblestone]

[ Can't be bothered to take care of?

From up above - he's keenly aware of their height difference, even as they sashay down the street - he shoots a look down towards her, eyes narrowing? Is she truly to insult him? ]

Is that so. What sorts of things can't we be bothered to take care of, pray tell?

[ Regale him with examples. ]

[ukase]

[An uneasy balance was where he liked to think he was at his best. He wasn't afraid to play both sides of the field, and he knew that she wasn't either. His problem was she was a true spy, like Fury. To quote Stark: her secrets had secrets.

She was an excellent challenge no matter how uneasy the peace may be.] Doubt that was the only method used. Tell me, were they the chalk throwing type or just rap you on the knuckles with a ruler?

[He set his gloved hands on his waist and rocked it side to side.] I definitely aren't exercising to the same intensity, and at my age, you gotta keep up with these things or they might restrict me to a desk.

[mollymocked]

[And all of that without cheating a bit. There's that sometimes he told Jester about- those moments when he feels like he can really see into a person's heart.

He looks down at the Ten of Wands as she indicates it, and his personal weakness of doing everything in his power to make other people happy takes the wheel. Lying and bullshitting are easy and you can give genuine joy doing those things, but sometimes a person needs a straight answer.

Which, of course, he can't provide, but he can do a little bit of gentle prodding in a direction that he thinks she needs.]

Well... In fire terms and you have a lot of fire in your cards, it's like no matter how hot the flame and how much it burns, it can eventually just burn itself down to embers. So no matter how much you put into trying to do something specific, you're more likely to burn yourself out than succeed. It's not necessarily a bad thing- generally, when this card appears, it's a warning to step back and reevaluate what you're doing.

[He picks up the card between his fingers.] Someone put something on your shoulders, didn't they?

sorry about the delay!

[ofhousetarly]

I'm used to traveling through snow and harsh winds. And it's only getting colder. [ Likely the coldest winter they've had in years. ]

Can I ask you about the reasons for your travels?

[ukase]

"You seem to have the rugged look going for you now... or is it hipster? I can never keep up with all the terms of the millenials anymore." He shook his head, even if he was mostly baiting the Soldier to see if he could wedge the guy into admitting to not being part of that age group. He doubted it would happen, but only he had to know that.

Rumlow had heard stories of the Winter Soldier in the field. It was like a warzone all its own, and he was certain he had seen the guy walk off a bullet or two to continue on the with mission in question. It wasn't the physical damage that seemed to waylay the Soldier; it was the unraveling of the mental and emotional side of things. One of the reasons that not everyone had the right disposition to serve in HYDRA.

"But you survived, and that's something to be said," he remarked. "Also, I know as much as anyone that some injuries aren't even visible. Damn shame." He shook his head and returned to his work. He'd had a buddy or two eat a bullet when trying to integrate again and the ghosts of combat haunted them.

Of course, he had to laugh at that question. "They crushed my rebellion in four months and then redirected the free-spirited nature into something productive for the platoon. I made a good soldier, a better sniper, and I took my lumps to get there. Like an old house, some men just need to be taken down to the studs before something usable can be built up."

[mollymocked]

[Molly beams, smugly satisfied that this has been going over so well- it usually does, whether he cheats or doesn't. People like it when a few vague summations whispered over cards sounds like their life and if they're happy, Molly's happy.

And Molly's even happier about the prospect of drinks. His face lights up even more.] Oh, surprise me, please. I wanna forget I'm not in Exandria anymore.

[alibabas]

[ Futaba would like to believe that she's not a scaredy cat, because she's ... not. Ish. There are definitely more ways that she could be a total loser and just ... run, but the fact that she's actively working on things should count for something, technically. So — not a coward, not a scaredy cat, not a failure. Not yet, anyway.

But this is way out of her depth.

Maybe she should believe that heightened emotions are uncomfortable for anyone involved — but then, not many people decide that running in the middle of a situation you've created yourself is the right thing to do. Or the ... thing you're planning to do. She goes down, that much is expected, and the ground is cold and hard but more importantly she's pretty sure she's scraped her hands and bruised her back, maybe, but—

She slides back despite all of it. Even as she watches the giant man punch the shit out of the tall man. Scrambles back even further, eyes wide and unable to look away, when the fight clearly starts to look one sided.

Maybe if she can just— ]

[alibabas]

[ She can't exactly say that it gets easier to breathe — her fear of crowds isn't so debilitating ( anymore ) that she feels like she ran a 5-mile race every time she's around a bunch of people. But... still. It's not easy, not as easy as everyone seems to have it, and the alleyway is sketchy but really, it's better than where they were a minute ago.

So, she breathes easier anyway. ] Uh. [ ... ] Fine.

[ She's been better, but she's also been much, much worse. With a little more conviction in her voice: ] I'm okay. [ ... ] When did you— [ You know, get here. ]

[mollymocked]

They're awful. [Molly gets off the floor enough to perch on the end of the bed, so he's no longer below eye level and laughing at this misfortune. It's not as amusing when there's a significant amount of actual hurt involved, and he did instigate it.

He doesn't feel poorly about it. He just knows when to stop.] Who does that benefit? Do they charge extra for the pleasure of being insulted by an inanimate object?

[impavid]

Smacked it into the floor unplugging this, it'll be fine in a minute.

[ He switches the circuit-board back to his other hand and holds it out, turning it over. There's no obvious cut or particularly red patches, nothing bleeding or showing bruising. Not that John wouldn't claim it was fine even if he'd done that, but for once he's telling the truth. ]

[jesus_is_gundam]

Why not?

[Not that he trusts either of them at the moment either, but he's curious as to why she'd go as far as to stifle them.]

[botw]

[ oh my. ]

Well... I believe I should able to fly up using a sudden gust of wind, and then glide to a safe place higher up. It would keep our legs fresh.

[ and Link totally needs that--- also, it'd be more fun than keeping himself on the ground the entire time, and he can't just teleport places. ]

[botw]

Games?

[ games? games. what games does Link know? nothing on the slate, obviously, but he's played hide and seek with the children of Kakariko. so what could be like a game on the tablet? ]

Well, I suppose lifting metal objects with the magnet was kind of fun. Or air-surfing on logs after storing energy inside of it...?

[ those are games, right?! also, he'd probably love Food Fantasy. ]

[mollymocked]

To be fair, we were really just excited to be in a city that knows how to party. Not dying was very low on my list of reasons for indulging a lot.

[As if that was surprising in the least. He gives the picture one last fond look and then places it in his coat pocket.] And typically, I don't need a reason to celebrate. [He twirls his wrist and bows slightly in a theatrical way.] Mollymauk Tealeaf, by the way. You can call me Molly.

[mollymocked]

It's much worse. [Much, much, much worse.] But it's not confined, and that makes all of that snow and ice worth it. If I want to get as far from this place as I can, then I can just pack up and leave.

[But he won't unless he has a traveling party. He totally could though.] But so far, I really don't want to. The ale here is fantastic.